Theme: Energy Supply & Energy Access in Africa Topic: Examining Energy Supply/Access Performance: An Electricity Supply and Customer Growth Analysis of Nigerian Discos (2015-2024)

Abstract:

Despite privatisation, the power sector in Nigeria remains underperforming, with power outages and frequent grid failures in 2024. This research evaluates the performance of the eleven electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) of Nigeria between 2015 and 2024 with respect to electricity supply and customers' access. Quantitative analysis was used to determine the key indicators of a utility company, such as energy supplied, number of customers, energy/customer, customer to energy ratio, customer growth rates, and energy supplied growth rates, all average quarterly and annual.The study reveals poor energy supply stability, with 2024 showing a reduced energy supply for most DISCOS when compared with 2023. The 2024 average energy supplied was 1,897.008 GWh and puts total energy supplied at 20,867.088 GWh. For 2023, the average energy and total energy supplied are 2,003.782 GWh and 22,041.602 GWh, respectively. While most DISCOS showed steady and increasing growth rates, AEDC and IEDC showed a double-digit decline in customer growth rate for 2022. This highlights the poor energy distributed on an individual basis, and the excessive customer-to-energy ratio exceeding 5000 customers/GWh signifies the extreme energy poverty and poor electrification plaguing most of the country.The study shows that privatisation of the nation’s power sector has been unable to achieve its intended objectives of robust electrification, consistent power supply and improved customer access to energy. Hence, emphasising an immediate reassessment of policy and current operations to minimise technical losses and boost energy distribution supply. The study’s value is in its holistic examination of the nation’s distribution sector performance in energy supply and customer reach. The findings aim to catalyse a deliberate collection of DISCOS’ data, a more in-depth analysis of DISCOS’ performance, and a critical identification and examination of energy distribution policies.

• Periodical: Engineering Headway (Volume 36)
• Pages: 23-32
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-gkRmO5
• Online since: February 2026
• Authors: Golden C. Offorson*, Emmanuel P. Agbo
• Keywords: Customer Growth, Distribution Companies (DISCOs), Energy Supply, Nigeria, Power Sector

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